Sun Group, a Vietnamese conglomerate with businesses in tourism, entertainment, real estate and infrastructure investment, is giving wings to Phu Quoc’s tourism development through the 2025 launch and rapid expansion of Sun PhuQuoc Airways.

During Sun PhuQuoc Airways’ trade and media engagement in Singapore last week to introduce its Phu Quoc-Singapore service commencing July 25, its deputy director of sales, La Vinh Nam, emphasised the airline’s clear intent to grow its international network, having already launched flights connecting Seoul (South Korea), Hong Kong and Taipei (Taiwan) with Phu Quoc. More flights are also being planned, and the airline will reveal network updates after receiving 18 more aircraft at the end of August this year.

Nam told TTG Asia that the airline’s network strategy relies on a “hub-and-spoke model with Phu Quoc at its absolute core”.

“Our foundational mission is to take Phu Quoc to the world and bring the world to the Pearl Island (Phu Quoc’s local nickname). When determining our routes, we look for high-potential markets that either lack direct connectivity to Phu Quoc or are underserved in the premium leisure space.

“Domestically, we connect the island to major economic hubs like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang. Internationally, our network expansion is engineered to capitalise on Phu Quoc’s unique 30-day visa exemption for international visitors,” said Nam.

For now, Sun PhuQuoc Airways takes pride in being the only premium airline with both Economy and Business classes flying the Phu Quoc-Singapore route.

Branded as a “resort airline”, Sun PhuQuoc Airways invites travellers to begin their vacation from the moment they come onboard.

“Our resort in the sky concept offers a luxurious, private, and comfortable flying experience that connects Phu Quoc with major domestic and international destination. Everything from the cabin interior inspired by the vibrant colours of the island, to our in-flight hospitality and cuisine, is designed to evoke the relaxation of a luxury getaway,” explained Nam.

The strongest manifestation of the resort airline positioning is Sun PhuQuoc Airways’ ability to leverage Sun Group’s tourism and entertainment ecosystem. Nam shared that the airline is “inextricably linked to Sun Group’s resorts, entertainment complexes, and dining venues in Phu Quoc, thus, we can offer our passengers exclusive, all-in-one privileges that standalone airlines simply cannot replicate”.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways’ market entry comes at an opportune time, as Phu Quoc gains stronger interest from tourists and readies to host the APEC 2027 leadership meetings. To capture momentum, the airline is leveraging Sun Group’s well-established B2B network and creating bundles that make it easier for event planners to secure integrated transport, accommodation, and venue solutions.

“We have also strategically appointed General Sales Agents (GSAs) in vital markets like South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. We selected these specific markets because they have a high density of affluent travellers seeking new, premium leisure destinations, and they also possess strong (business events) outbound potential. Our local GSAs give us the deep market penetration, cultural nuance, and established travel trade relationships required to efficiently convert that growing destination interest into bookings,” said Nam.

Tony Lim, managing director of Discover the World, the appointed GSA in Singapore, said Sun PhuQuoc Airways would attract both business travellers on leisure extensions as well as corporate incentive programmes. Since opening the Phu Quoc-Singapore service for sale on May 20, Discover the World has received multiple corporate enquiries for meetings and incentive trips planned for 4Q2026 and early-2027.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways believes that the APEC 2027 meetings will be “the ultimate catalyst for establishing Phu Quoc as a premier global business event and luxury destination” and allow the airline to demonstrate its ability to “execute flawlessly on a global stage”.

“When global leaders and delegations arrive, Sun PhuQuoc Airways will be their very first touchpoint with Vietnamese hospitality. We want delegates to feel the warmth, sophistication, and cultural richness of the Pearl Island the moment they board our aircraft. We are enhancing our premium cabin offerings with bespoke in-flight menus that highlight local Vietnamese flavours, and we are upgrading our priority ground services to align perfectly with the world-class, five-star operations expected at the newly-expanded Phu Quoc International Airport Terminal 2,” he told TTG Asia.

In the lead up to the meetings, the airline is mapping out capacity increases from major transit hubs for enhanced global connectivity and will launch flights from China, Malaysia and Thailand in the coming months.

“Sun PhuQuoc Airways will continue expanding our global commercial footprint through partnerships with prospective representatives and distribution partners in Australia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Oman, the Czech Republic, Mongolia and Japan,” added Nam.